The baby is in the hospital. We need prayer, he has 3 old rib fractures that we do not have a clue where they came from and because we can't explain them we are being investigated by CPS and the police as potential child abusers. I have never hurt my son and neither has my husband. We want to know how he got the fractures as much as they do because it means that there is a chance someone in my family hurt my son. If I find out it wasn't an accident, which seems to be likely given how hard it is to fracture ribs in a baby, I am going to seriously hurt the person who hurt him.Dx:fibromyalgia 2002, systematic lupus 2005- definate CNS involvement dxed late 2005, psoriasis 2006, rheumatoid arthritis 2006, PTSD 2007, multiple allergies 2005, migraine, compression fractures T11 & T12, Sjögren's, damaged periphrial nerves 2007, exemaTx: plaquenil, Enbrel, Tramadol, Singulair, Skelaxin, Baby Asprin, Imuran, Prilosec, lasix, Evoxac, Celebrex, Darvocet when things get too bad, prednisone again, various vitamin/mineral supplements, cozar

(((((( Redrose ))))) oh my goodness, I am so sorry you are going through this. Bless your heart, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I really hope no one has hurt your precious baby boy. Please take good care of yourself too!StacieTrust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding ~ Proverbs 3:5 ~

Oh wow. I'm so sorry Rosie. Youa re in my thoughts and prayers, and your lil bundle of joy. You said he had 3 old rib fractures? That can mean actually a couple things... did they say how old they were? Is it in time frame of when you were gone? Just askng because, sometimes, its very rare, but one can actually have repeated breaks and fractures due to a disease or auto immune defiency. Paget disease, cancers, low calcium, dental deformities, delayed formation of teeth, defects in the teeth structure, reduction in bone mass, arthritis (hey its rare, but some kids have it), osteoporis (sp?), tumors, abuse (let's hope not huni). Try to get the doctors to find the timelines, and do blood work so you can get a bettter idea of why this happened. Keep us posted huni.

They won't tell us anything. We have been cut out of the information loop. They are treating us like we hurt him. I know darned good and well I have never hurt him and neither has my husband. He never even had more than a few hours of fussing and that was when he was cutting teeth. One would expect rib fractures to hurt like heck. He is such a good boy and I cannot understand how anyone could have hurt him intentionally. Accidentally I could see happening. But when? Worse, my mother is researching his exersaucer and finding kids have broken legs and hurt their spine in them. Who knows if he could have broken his ribs in that. They act like we can't be trusted even though we want to know what happened at least as much as they do. The emergancy room doctor followed procedure but didn't think we had hurt him. Now the police act like we did and so does protective services. I am ready to scream and cry and rant and rave until someone explains what happened to me. Right now it is the tears that have me but I am so angry. When I get mad I cry. I am angry for us and more so angry for my little one. How could someone hurt him? How could someone do this to him? I just don't understand, how could anyone hurt a baby?Dx:fibromyalgia 2002, systematic lupus 2005- definate CNS involvement dxed late 2005, psoriasis 2006, rheumatoid arthritis 2006, PTSD 2007, multiple allergies 2005, migraine, compression fractures T11 & T12, Sjögren's, damaged periphrial nerves 2007, exemaTx: plaquenil, Enbrel, Tramadol, Singulair, Skelaxin, Baby Asprin, Imuran, Prilosec, lasix, Evoxac, Celebrex, Darvocet when things get too bad, prednisone again, various vitamin/mineral supplements, cozar

People who dont want to help themselves hurt others hon. They may not tell you anything, but if you say you want a timeline established of when the fractures happen, and tests to rule out medical conditions and disease, it will show you are acting in best interest. Next cop who doesnt believe you, just say "Look, if you don't believe I hurt my son, arrest me now and give me a lie dector test. I am worried sick about my son, he could be dying from some disease for all we know, so please order the tests to make sure he is ok. If not for me, do it for the sake of him." Course, I can be a mean one when needed :p

Thanks Smurfy. I am so tired of being held under a microscope. I am just so angry that someone hurt my son. I will be insisiting that he be tested for anything that could have contributed to his fractures. I have to deal with court tomorrow where they will decide if I can bring my son home.Dx:fibromyalgia 2002, systematic lupus 2005- definate CNS involvement dxed late 2005, psoriasis 2006, rheumatoid arthritis 2006, PTSD 2007, multiple allergies 2005, migraine, compression fractures T11 & T12, Sjögren's, damaged periphrial nerves 2007, exemaTx: plaquenil, Enbrel, Tramadol, Singulair, Skelaxin, Baby Asprin, Imuran, Prilosec, lasix, Evoxac, Celebrex, Darvocet when things get too bad, prednisone again, various vitamin/mineral supplements, cozar

We cannot have our son back until the police clear us of child abuse. But they intention right now is to give him back at some point instead of trying to terminate parental rights. They want us to take parenting classes and also to have therapy. Ironic that they decide my perfectly sane husband needs a mental health evaluation. I know I should be in therapy but who would watch the baby? Well, until the investigation is done that isn't a problem. I will be making calls Monday.Dx:fibromyalgia 2002, systematic lupus 2005- definate CNS involvement dxed late 2005, psoriasis 2006, rheumatoid arthritis 2006, PTSD 2007, multiple allergies 2005, migraine, compression fractures T11 & T12, Sjögren's, damaged periphrial nerves 2007, exemaTx: plaquenil, Enbrel, Tramadol, Singulair, Skelaxin, Baby Asprin, Imuran, Prilosec, lasix, Evoxac, Celebrex, Darvocet when things get too bad, prednisone again, various vitamin/mineral supplements, cozar

Oh Redrose, I am so sorry, you and your family continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. Has the hospital checked for any medical problems that could cause his ribs to be more fragile than normal? Have you checked on the internet too? Just a thoughtStacieTrust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding ~ Proverbs 3:5 ~

I have been doing some research and a few things come out about infant rib fractures. One thing is have you been in a car accident with Alexander? If so that would explain some of the fractures maybe? Also some of the medical things I found would be the Vitamin D deficiency, premature birth??, Osteogenesis imperfecta, non displaced stress fractures from severe coughing (his acid reflux?), Scurvy. I know you have the Osteoparosis occurring and with your hubby having a history of Rheumatic disease, it is possible your baby has something and you have reason for him to be tested. When I searched for the causes of infant rib fractures there is a certain spot specifically that you can tell most times how the child has been abused so I was wondering if you had asked to see the report from the radiologist. Either way I would definitely ask for that report so you can compare that to where the fractures are to see if that is consistent with how most of the rib fractures would occur in most abused infants or not. That way you have some grounds that something else happened, like the findings posted below. Good luck.

Also there is a story to look up "Shaken Baby Syndrome or Vaccine-Induced Encephalitis? The Story of Baby Alan" by Harold E. Buttram, MD and F. Edward Yazbak, MD.

Rib fractures frequently are encountered in abused infants and commonly occur in the posterior rib arcs.

Actually, there was an accident that we totally forgot about. Back in late November/early January we hit a deer. Nothing major, the van was still drivable and we couldn't stop because of traffic so it was a good thing we could still drive. I will ask about testing him for vitamin deficencies, he wasn't premature so that is ruled out. His reflux has been almost controlled since his last set of xrays. The really big issue is the fractures are posterior. Basically they are telling me the ONLY way they could have occurred is abuse but they have cut me off from any real information.Dx:fibromyalgia 2002, systematic lupus 2005- definate CNS involvement dxed late 2005, psoriasis 2006, rheumatoid arthritis 2006, PTSD 2007, multiple allergies 2005, migraine, compression fractures T11 & T12, Sjögren's, damaged periphrial nerves 2007, exemaTx: plaquenil, Enbrel, Tramadol, Singulair, Skelaxin, Baby Asprin, Imuran, Prilosec, lasix, Evoxac, Celebrex, Darvocet when things get too bad, prednisone again, various vitamin/mineral supplements, cozar